Pops

I LOST THE LOVE OF MY LIFE almost two years ago. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss her. If I know my Ma though, she wouldn’t want me to be miserable and spend the rest of my life missing her and what we could’ve had together with all the new additions to our family.

I’ve been spending time with Alice, and she understands that I’m not ready for anything more than a friendship right now. One day I’ll be ready to move us past the friendship phase of our relationship though. Alice is amazing. She listens to me when I need to talk, we go out to eat and watch movies, she’s become a part of my club life, and everyone loves her. Honestly, she makes it hard not to care about her more than I already do.

Today, we’re taking the kids to the pond to spend the day with them. A few of the kids have been talking about Ma, and others that we’ve lost along the way. So, Alice and I are going to talk about Ma and the life she led. I’m sure it’s going to be hard for Alice to hear about my wife, but maybe she’ll understand why I still love her so much.

“Pops?” Jameson asks me as I set down the cooler I was carrying.

“Yeah son?”

“Are we talking about Ma today. I want to know about her.”

“We are. Why don’t you guys sit down, and I’ll hand out the sandwiches Miss Alice made before I start.”

All of the kids sit down while Alice helps me get everything else set up. There are sandwiches, chips, juice boxes, and cookies for dessert. As soon as all the kids have their lunch in front of them, I sit down and pull Alice down next to me.

“I met Ma a long time ago at a pool. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on. That’s not what made me want to get to know her though,” I begin. “One day we were at the pool and an older lady was havin’ trouble settin’ her chair and stuff up. Instead of pickin’ on her and pointin’ fingers like her friends were doin’, Ma walked over and helped her get everythin’ set up. Then, she didn’t just walk back to her friends, she sat down next to this lady and talked to her. I swear, Ma sat there for hours just listenin’ to this lady talk. Several times I looked at this lady’s face and could see the pure joy radiatin’ off her. All she wanted was someone to talk to. Ma gave her that. It wasn’t just that day though. Every single day that lady showed up at the pool, Ma would sit with her.”

I go on to tell the kids about finally getting Ma to go out with me. Our first date was a disaster because I was so nervous, and I didn’t think she’d ever give me a second chance. At the end of the date, she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. It was the best ending to a date I’ve ever had in my life.

Jameson starts asking about how she was when his dad and aunt Bailey were growing up. So, I tell them funny stories about her playing pranks on the kids and the pranks they would play back. There was always some prank war going on in our house and sometimes I was afraid to walk in the door. I can see Jameson’s eyes light up and I know that Joker, Sky, and Cage are in for a world of trouble now.

We spend the entire day talking about Ma, playing in the pond, running around, and just having fun. Today was a day that was needed by all of us. I’m glad that Alice was a part of it too. It shows that she’s more like Ma than I thought.

I’m never going to replace my wife, but I will build a new life with Alice. She’s been hurt and broken too. We’ve both got pasts and together we’ll overcome all the heartache and pain we’ve both suffered through. Alice is patient, kind, caring, and I can feel myself falling in love with her. It may not be the same kind of love I shared with Ma, but it’s love none-the-less.

Alice

Since I’ve had Whitney working for me, and have been able to take more time off, I have been spending more time with Pops and other members of the club. I love spending time with the kids and getting to know all of them. They’re personalities are shining through and you can see how strong every single one of these kids are already.

Pops and I have spent time laughing, talking, going out to do things, and just getting to know one another. He has included me in every aspect of his life, but we’re still not ready to move on past getting to know one another. We’ve been through this song and dance before and there’s no need to rush anything now. The only difference is that he’s got kids and such a large extended family, and I have none. There were never any kids for me, my family is already all gone, and my husband was killed a very long time ago.

I’m surprised that Pops wanted to include me today. This is his special time with all the kids to relieve their time with Ma and to get to know her better than they already do. I’m not sure if he wants me there as support, or if he just wants to spend time with me. Either way, I’ll be there for him and the kids whenever they need me to be there for them.

As he talks about the woman that has owned his heart for most of his life, I don’t get jealous of their time together. Ma helped mold this man into the person that he is today. Pops is generous, caring, would help anyone in need, and wants to be surrounded by his family. I don’t know that he would be like that if it weren’t for the love he shared with Ma. So, hearing about how they met and the amazing person that she was helps me understand Pops in a way. It also lets me know why Bailey does some of the things that she does. She has taken over for her mother, and it truly is a gift to be able to witness the hold this woman has over so many people still to this day.

I can honestly see myself and Pops spending what time we have left together. There’s no fighting over petty things because we’ve already been through most everything that a person can go through. All we want to do is spend time together and be there to lend support to one another. Will we grow to love one another? Possibly. I know I care deeply about Pops. I’m just not sure about how he feels, or what he wants from us. We’ll just take it a day at a time and see where it goes. As long as I get to be a part of his life, I’m good with it.

The End